Nottingham College construct a course for teenagers

A new pre-apprenticeship programme has been launched at New College Nottingham (ncn) to help 16 to 19-year-olds find employment in the construction industry.

The course aims to equip young people with the skills needed to become an apprentice. Using its contacts with local employers, ncn will work with students to help them find a suitable apprenticeship.

Students gain experience in a real work environment at the College’s purpose-built workshops where they can try a range of crafts including brickwork, plastering, plumbing, joinery and tiling.  They also learn interview techniques, IT skills and are given support writing their CV.

Pre-apprentice Jerome McKenzie, 17, said: “This is a great chance for me and I’m eager to get started. I’m most interested in plastering and joinery but this course gives me the opportunity to try other trades, which will widen my skills and hopefully improve my chances of gaining employment.”

Bigger and Batter Fish and Chips at Bournemouth and Poole College

FE Week challenged the twittersphere to come up with some fishy puns for this fabulous college story. Apprentices at the Dorset college took part in a 24 hour challenge to make the largest portion of fish and chips – ever.

42 pieces of coley, 100 kgs of potatoes and a massive tub of mushy peas went into presenting the gargantuan dish.

The challenge was comissioned by Sky TV’s Monster Munchies, a cookery programme hosted by Matt Dawson where size really does matter.

The story went far and wide and the nation’s favourite meal even made the nation’s favourite newspaper – The Sun! The ‘red topped’ tabloid, famous for its headline gags put FE Week in a ‘punny’ frame of mind, and we challenged loyal twitter followers to come up with a fish-tastic take on the college serving up a mega portion.

And the winner is… Lee Mark Davies (@leemarkdavies). Lee went on, and on… and on with the puns, but our favourite is: “If @FEweek were serious about fish it would cover schools not colleges…”

Lee wins an exclusive FE Week mug!

You can read more on the story online here http://www.feweek.co.uk/index.php/2011/08/25/fish-and-chips-go-bigger-and-batter-in-bournemouth/

BIS to ‘sweep away’ apprenticeship red tape for employers

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has announced a package of new measures today that will cut data returns and audit requirements for apprenticeship delivery, despite fraud and the misuse of funding reaching ‘a record high’ (Click here to read the BIS press release).

(Click here to read FE Week’s coverage on the increase in fraud)

Skills Minister John Hayes plans to introduce a “payment by outcomes” approach to apprenticeship funding that will eliminate in-year changes to contract values, a number of data returns and reduce audit requirements needed from employers.

Mr Hayes said: “Where red tape and bureaucracy deters employers from taking on apprentices, we’ll sweep it away.

“That will give more firms access to the skills they need to thrive, creating new jobs and new growth”.

The package also follows a statement published by the National Apprenticeship Survey (NAS) and Skills Funding Agency last week, who expressed their concerns about the rapid surge of apprenticeships and the quality of training being provided.

(Click here to read FE Week’s coverage on the NAS concerns about quality)

Business Secretary Vince Cable added: “For far too long, too many businesses have been put off by overly complex procedures and unnecessary layers of paperwork.

Where red tape and bureaucracy deters employers from taking on apprentices, we’ll sweep it away.”

“We’ve worked with business to cut bureaucracy and ensure the benefits for employers, learners and the economy are maximised.”

The new “payment by outcomes” scheme will be piloted by 20 large employers who hope to benefit from simplified payment, reporting and assessment requirements.

The announcement follows a review led by the Employer Reference Group at the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), which consulted with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and large companies such as BT and TUI Travel.

BT Director of Education and Skills Andy Palmer said: “The changes we are proposing will have a significant impact on bureaucracy rather than merely tinkering at the edges.”

Other aspects of the new plan include streamlining contracting arrangements and the certification process.

Further measures aimed at both small and medium sized employers taking on apprentices will be unveiled in Autumn 2011.

New VP for Central Sussex College’s Sixth Form Haywards Heath

Richard Hailstone has been appointed the new Vice Principal for Sixth Form Haywards Heath campus at Central Sussex College.

Richard is now responsible for managing the campus and its 1,200 students.

The appointment follows the retirement of former Vice Principal Dr Alex Burford.

Richard said: “I am delighted to be joining Central Sussex College and to have the opportunity to build on the excellent progress Alex has made at the campus over the last eight years as Vice Principal.

Richard will help manage the final phase of the £30 million redevelopment of the Sixth Form Haywards Heath campus later this month.

He added: “I’m looking forward to driving forward the College’s plans for curriculum and quality development and to overseeing the culmination of the campus redevelopment.”

Richard’s previous experience includes working as Cross Curriculum Manager at Sussex Downs College, where he was responible for the Accounting, Business, Economics and Law courses at both Lewes Sixth Form and Park Sixth Form in Eastbourne.

He also worked at Blatchington Mukk School in Hove for five years as the Assistant Head teacher, in charge of the sixth form.

Ofsted proposes changes to inspection of FE providers

Ofsted has launched a consultation regarding proposals to revise the inspection of further education colleges, work-based learning providers, adult and community learning (ACL) provision and ‘Next Step’ provision.

The revisions are said to ‘streamline and simplify’ the current framework, which is based on Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework for FE and skills, so that inspections focus on the areas with ‘most impact’.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Miriam Rosen, who launched the consultation said: “We want inspectors to spend an even greater proportion of their time observing lessons and training sessions.

“We propose to develop an even stronger focus on how well staff teach and how well learners progress and achieve results.”

The proposals will mean that inspectors spend more time visiting ‘weaker’ further education providers and giving them instructions on how to improve.

Outstanding providers will not be inspected unless their performance deteriorates.

Inspectors will also use fewer judgements to concenrate on the ‘core purpose of the provider in meeting the needs and interests of learners, employers and the community’ under the changes.

The revised reports hope to show how well students are supported in regards to achieving their qualifications and moving on to higher education or employment.

The new proposals will be tested later this year and throughout the first half of 2012.

You can access the Common Inspection Framework 2012 consultation here.

The closing date for the consultation is 24 November 2011.

£6.5 million given to train engineering students in renewable energy

Business Secretary Vince Cable announced a £6.5 million investment yesterday to help train top engineering students in a new Industrial Doctorate Centre in Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE).

Leading universities and global companies such as EDF Energy, Shell and Rolls Royce will train 50 students in a range of low carbon technologies such as wind, wave and tidal power.

Visiting the University of Edinburgh, who will help deliver the programme, Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“Engineering skills are vital for the growth of a more sustainable economy and are in high demand from employers.

“This scheme will see industry working with universities to provide students with the training and commercial experience businesses want.”

The course will start in January 2012 and be delivered by Edinburgh, Strathclyde and Exeter universities, alongside the Scottish Association for Marine Science and consultancy HR-Wallingford.

Vince Cable said: “Scotland has real strengths in renewable energy – wind, wave and tidal power, building on a strong tradition of hydro.

“These students will have the chance to work with some of the leading energy companies based here and tackle one of our biggest challenges – developing technology for a greener future.”

The engineers will also study the business side of the industry and be able to develop their research, technical and entrepreneurial skills throughout the 9 year course.

Peter Hofman, Director of Company Shared Services & Integration at EDF Energy, said: “As the energy market in the UK develops it is crucial that we train engineering students in low carbon generation expertise. EDF Energy fully supports the investment from the Government to help meet skills targets.”

The new qualification is described as an ‘internationally-leading Engineering Doctorate’ (EngD).

Professor David Delpy, Chief Executive of EPSRC said: “The EngD is equivalent to the intellectual challenge of a PhD coupled with extensive business leadership training.

“The research engineers are expected to spend around 75 per cent of their time working directly with their host company on project work and 25 per cent on taught courses. Graduates trained in this way are much sought after by business.

ESOL funding u-turn?

The Skills Funding Agency confirmed this week that all ESOL learners who are actively seeking work could be eligible for full funding, irrespective of whether they are in receipt of work related benefits or income related benefits.

The clarification is good news indeed and gives ESOL providers the opportunity to use the flexibility the government has granted to support the most disadvantaged and vulnerable of learners. It means that many women who were attending ESOL courses last year can return and progress on to the next level. It means that many refugees who are only in need of English language skills to unlock their skills and enter the job market will get that chance.

However some questions remain. What about those learners in part time or low paid employment, who cannot declare that they are actively seeking work? Also, how will colleges achieve their fee income targets? If the Skills Funding Agency gives colleges flexibility on fees, and ESOL learners are effectively subsidised by income from other learners’ fees, the providers may lose out in the long term.

We should also be concerned about those learners who heard that fees were going up and have already decided not to return this year. What can providers do? Greenwich Community College is texting and writing to all ex-students to encourage them to return this term and continue language learning. The College is also distributing leaflets and displaying posters with the new information.

What about those learners in part time or low paid employment, who cannot declare that they are actively seeking work?”

Some ESOL providers are also developing a declaration form that learners can sign on enrolment, stating that they are actively seeking work. We know from the Association of Colleges survey conducted in January that 21% of students access employment as a direct result of ESOL courses. So this may well be a confirmation of what exists already.

Overall, the glass is half full rather than half empty. The 55% of ESOL students who have Basic Skills needs in Literacy and Numeracy, could now be eligible for fully funded ESOL provision, at the provider’s discretion. And women with child caring responsibilities who cannot claim Job Seeker’s Allowance until their child is 7 years old will also be able to access fully funded language provision. This is good news and something to celebrate as we start the new term.

Chris Taylor is a Programme Director at NIACE, and is currently leading on a wide range of projects in ESOL, citizenship and community cohesion. 

NAS concerned about quality following rapid apprenticeship expansion

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and Skills Funding Agency have this week published a statement (click here) saying they are “determined to see that recent rapid expansion of Apprenticeships is not achieved at the expense of quality”.

This follows exclusive coverage published by FE Week which detailed training providers delivering 12 Week Apprenticeships (click here) as well as the dramatic surge in 25+ apprenticeship starts (click here).

The NAS ‘Statement on the Quality of Apprenticeship Delivery Models’ says: “NAS will work with the Skills Fuding Agency and look critically at Apprenticeships delivered in a condensed way” and where the learner does not need to achieve the full apprenticeship framework “partial completion should be reflected in a reduction in the funding”.

The Statement also stresses that “An apprentice must be employed in a job role with a productive purpose, which will allow them to have the wider employment experience key to an Apprenticeship.

NAS will work with the Skills Funding Agency and look critically at Apprenticeships delivered in a condensed way”

“It is not acceptable for a provider or associated organisation to directly employ apprentices without such real work, purely with the intention of them achieving the Apprenticeship” and “Apprenticeship funding provided by The Skills Funding Agency cannot be used to pay Apprenticeship wages”.

The NAS employ more than 300 staff, most of whom have been focused on selling apprenticeships to employers and achieving government targets. However, with targets for the number of 19+ apprenticeship starts smashed early and questions being raised about the quality of delivery, their remit has recently changed.

A BIS spokesperson said: “A clearer role and remit for the NAS has been set out by Business Secretary Vince Cable. On 18 July the Secretary of State issued a Direction to the Chief Executive of Skills Funding Agency requiring him to delegate a range of functions to the Chief Executive Officer of the NAS”.

BIS went on to tell FE Week that the NAS will now be “accountable for ensuring quality and standards and securing value for money for public investment in apprenticeships. The underpinning services that will support these new arrangements are currently being finalised within the NAS and Skills Funding Agency and are expected to be in place by early autumn.”

It remains unclear how the NAS sales force will take on a new quality assurance role, but their statement concludes that they “will continue to work with external partners including AELP, AoC and Ofsted to develop this statement as part of our joint ambition to support the delivery of high quality Apprenticeships. We will also look to issue updates and examples on how this statement is applied in practice.”

Questions also remain as to how the NAS will monitor delivery models and value for money given a recent announcement from the Skills Funding Agency that to “reduce bureaucracy and to simplify the future funding of adult skills” they will no longer collect Apprenticeship group and one to one delivery hour data from providers (click here).

‘Neet’ young people hits record second quarter high

The number of 18 to 24 year-olds currently not in employment, education or training (Neet) has shot up to 18.4% in England.

The figure, taken from April to June of this year, is the highest second quarter recorded by the Department of Education since 2006.

Almost a million young people (979,000) aged between 16 and 24 are considered Neet in the latest Labour Force Survey.

This figure is set to increase even further in the next few months when many school, college and university courses finish.

Despite these increases the numher of Neet young people aged 16 to 18 fell throughout the second quarter.

This is partly because of the government’s continued efforts to keep young people in education or training.

Conversely the number of 19 to 24-year-olds considered Neet has reached a high of 19.1%.

These findings join the recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, which show that youth unemployment for 16 to 24-year olds has risen from 20% to 20.2% in the three months leading up to June.